Paying Rates on Vacant Land
Oct 30th 2008, 6:00 am
#1
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Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Pine Rivers
Posts: 845
Paying Rates on Vacant Land
We own a block of vacant land in the Moreton Bay Regional Council area.
Our last quarterly rates bill was $516
This was made up of:
General rate (Category A) 307
Water Access 75
Sewerage 117
Environmental Levy 7
Fire Service Levy 10
Is this right?
Seems a lot to pay for a bit of vacant dirt?!
Our last quarterly rates bill was $516
This was made up of:
General rate (Category A) 307
Water Access 75
Sewerage 117
Environmental Levy 7
Fire Service Levy 10
Is this right?
Seems a lot to pay for a bit of vacant dirt?!
Oct 30th 2008, 6:48 am
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: Paying Rates on Vacant Land
We own a block of vacant land in the Moreton Bay Regional Council area.
Our last quarterly rates bill was $516
This was made up of:
General rate (Category A) 307
Water Access 75
Sewerage 117
Environmental Levy 7
Fire Service Levy 10
Is this right?
Seems a lot to pay for a bit of vacant dirt?!
Our last quarterly rates bill was $516
This was made up of:
General rate (Category A) 307
Water Access 75
Sewerage 117
Environmental Levy 7
Fire Service Levy 10
Is this right?
Seems a lot to pay for a bit of vacant dirt?!
Oct 30th 2008, 7:03 am
#3
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,808
Re: Paying Rates on Vacant Land
We own a block of vacant land in the Moreton Bay Regional Council area.
Our last quarterly rates bill was $516
This was made up of:
General rate (Category A) 307
Water Access 75
Sewerage 117
Environmental Levy 7
Fire Service Levy 10
Is this right?
Seems a lot to pay for a bit of vacant dirt?!
Our last quarterly rates bill was $516
This was made up of:
General rate (Category A) 307
Water Access 75
Sewerage 117
Environmental Levy 7
Fire Service Levy 10
Is this right?
Seems a lot to pay for a bit of vacant dirt?!
It doesnt matter whether it is vacant or not, the full rates apply. It's one way to discourage speculation and have suburbs looking lived in.
WW
Oct 30th 2008, 7:13 am
#4
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Location: Pine Rivers
Posts: 845
Oct 30th 2008, 8:03 am
#5
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 794
Re: Paying Rates on Vacant Land
That's expensive, but unfortunately they do charge like wounded bulls even for vacant land. We are in NZ and owned a piece of land in the middle of nowhere and the rates were higher than our town rates where we actually used the facilites. In the end we had to sell it as it was costing too much. It's not right. I believe there should be a lower fee for a non-residential piece of land. I know that they have to pay to get the services up and running, but why should you pay when you aren't even using the services?
Oct 30th 2008, 8:47 am
#6
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,584
Re: Paying Rates on Vacant Land
Wait till the loss of stamp duty begins to bite. Anyone that can afford to own more than one house or spare land will be a considered a filthy rich pig enemy of the people and be taxed accordingly.
Last edited by NedKelly; Oct 30th 2008 at 8:50 am.
Oct 30th 2008, 12:29 pm
#7
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Re: Paying Rates on Vacant Land
The 6 month and 3 month thing is probably explained by
It will all change over gradually, but still some differences for now.
I think that charging for "Water Access 75, Sewerage 117" is a bit much if they aren't connected and used.
The former Caboolture and Pine Rivers Shires and Redcliffe City Councils’ were amalgamated on the 15th March 2008 to form the new Moreton Bay Regional Council.
There is significant disparity in the revenue policies of each of the three former Councils, particularly in the differential general rating systems applied.
There is significant disparity in the revenue policies of each of the three former Councils, particularly in the differential general rating systems applied.
I think that charging for "Water Access 75, Sewerage 117" is a bit much if they aren't connected and used.
Oct 31st 2008, 10:30 pm
#8
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Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Gold Coast
Posts: 493
Re: Paying Rates on Vacant Land
Hi
ours our worse than that and we took the council up on charging us for water. They can provide the service so therefore they can charge for it! Thank goodness that doesn't apply to everyother business in australia or we would all be broke. Anyway there is a law that was passed a while ago which basically says councils can charge what they like!
Tracy
ours our worse than that and we took the council up on charging us for water. They can provide the service so therefore they can charge for it! Thank goodness that doesn't apply to everyother business in australia or we would all be broke. Anyway there is a law that was passed a while ago which basically says councils can charge what they like!
Tracy
Nov 1st 2008, 11:28 am
#9
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Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Gold Coast Hinterland
Posts: 2,359
Re: Paying Rates on Vacant Land
You're paying for the infrastructure. If you live on or own a block where neither mains water nor drainage can be connected then you don't get charged.
Nov 1st 2008, 1:09 pm
#10
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Paying Rates on Vacant Land
This is true. I had a vacant block for years, and the only charges I ever paid were for landclearing every 6 months. I think they whacked some sort of admin charge on top, but it never came to more than about $120 p.a.
Nov 2nd 2008, 12:11 am
#11
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Re: Paying Rates on Vacant Land
Different councils, or States, may have different rules on this:
NSW: As per the Local Government Act 1993, charges are levied upon land that is supplied with water from Council mains, and vacant land situated within 225 metres of a Council water main, whether or not the property is connected to Council’s water supply, provided it is possible to supply water to the property if requested.
